Box-like or parallelepipedal containers for the purposes described have, in the past, generally comprised an upwardly open lower part having front, back and side walls, as well as a bottom, and a cover which, when in place to close the container, had front, back and side walls generally lying flush with the corresponding walls of the container bottom.
The rear wall of the container bottom usually was higher than the front wall thereof to facilitate display of the articles from the front and access to the articles through the open top of the container.
The closure or cover member was pivotally mounted on the bottom member and could be swingable forwardly and below the bottom member through approximately 3/4 of a complete revolution so as ultimately to lie rearwardly of this bottom member and form a brace, strut or stand for the bottom member, thereby enabling the latter to rest firmly upon a table top, desk top or other surface.
This system has the disadvantage that the practically complete revolution of the cover is an awkward movement for the user and, further, is inconvenient because it requires lifting of the assembly to allow the cover to swing past and beneath the bottom of the lower member. Closing of the container is equally awkward.